Continuous cooker for foods in containers



S. E. WALKER.

, commuous COOKER FOR FOODS IN CONTAINERS.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV.15| I919- 1,38%,148. Patented June 21, 1921.

Z SHEETSSHEET l- SELAH E. WALKfzE,

Mme/#05 S. E. WALKER.

CONTINUOUS COOKER FOR FOODS IN CONTAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, I919- Patented June 21, 1921,

2 SHEEIS-SHEET 2.

SHAH A". V/ALKER,

Eur-Ema To all whom it mag concern UNITED eras same: a. warms, or roarnarm, cannon. commune-us oooxaa ran roons IN oozvramans.

Be it known t at 1, Susan E. ,WAnnan, a citizen of the United States residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Continuous Cookers for Foods in Containers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to canned goods cookers as a class. v

The object of m invention is to provide a cooker for foo s in containers, such as cans, wherein the cans are passed throu h a valve into helically arranged chutes of a drum within a boiler, and are discharged therefrom throun'h a similar valve, the speeds of the valves and drum and times of rotation being related to each other in a predetermined manner. These objects, as well as other advantages, 1 attain by the construction, combination and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

Figure It is a sectional elevation of the device.

Fig. H is a sectional view on the line Til-ll of Fig. I[.

Fig. HT is a like TIL-1H.

Fig. TV is a left end view on the line elevation with parts 7 broken away.

Fig. V valve.

Like characters refer to views.

Upon a frame 6-6 a boiler 7 is secured. The boiler has friction rings 7 upon the inner surface of each end. A horizontal drive shaft 8 is rotatably mounted in the frame adjacent to the lower part of one end of the boiler, with a pulley 9 on the outer shaft end, to which power may be transmitted from any suitable source. A shaft 10, rotatably mounted, extends longitudinally through the central part of the boiler. Within the boiler a drum is rigidly secured upon the shaft 10. The drum consists of vertical, circular end plates 11-11, positioned in close proximity to the interior opposing end we ls of the boiler, and a series of chutes 12 arranged helically about the shaft 10, their ends being rigidly secured to the respective opposin r drum plates 11-11. Opposite the secure ends of the chutes 12 the plates 11-11 are provided is a cross-section of the filling like parts in the specification of Letter: Patent. a lication filed Itovembcr it, isie. Serial its. easier.

Patented June 21,192t.

with chute openings or ports of like di- 11191181011 as the sectional area of the chutes, To facilitate the description hereafter, these openings are designated 18 and a series thereof 18-13--13 Upon and near the upper part of the boiler, a filling valve shell 14 is rigidly secured. It has an incllned discharge ort 15 into a port 18 in theend wall of the boiler. The port 16 is positioned so that the chute openin s 18' in the plate 11 will come opposite to t e same 1n sequence, as the shaft 10 rotates the drum. The openings 13 and 16 and port 15 are of like d mensions. The valve shell it also has a receiving port 17 to which a chute 18 extends. A shaft 19 extends transversely through the shell 14 and is rotatabl mounted therein. Upon the shaft 19 a valve 20 of cylindrical form is rigidly secured and is seated against the side and circumferential walls of the shell. The side walls of the shell and the opposing sides of the valve have circular grooves al -21, Packing 22 is placed between the side shell walls and the valve, also in the rooves di -=21", A series of transverse pac ring grooves 23 are formed in the inner surface of the circum ferential wall of the shell opposite the rim of the valve 20. Packing 2t, placed in these grooves, is adjusted to desired engagement with the valve rim by the means 25. The valve 20 has a series of transverse semi-circular pockets 26 formed along its rim, arranged to open in sequence tothe receiving and discharging ports 17 and 16. The sockets 26 are provided with integral shoulers 26' near each end. A discharging valve shell 27 is rigidly secured u on and near the lower, opposite end of the oiler. It has an inclined receiving ort 28, from an opening or port 29 in the oiler, which opening 29 is positioned so that the openings 13 in the plate 11' will come opposite to the same in sequence, as the shaft 10"rotates the drum. The openings 13-29 and the port 28 are of like d1mens1ons. The shell 27 also has a discharge port 30 from which a chute 31 extends. shaft 32 extends transversely through the shell 27 and is rotatably mounted therein. U on the shaft 32 a valve 33 is rigidly secured It is of like construction and arrangement within the shell as the valve in the shell 14,-.

Upon the shaft 8 intermittent gears 34 and 35 are rigidly secured, the first being shown with one tooth, the second with three Above the gear 34 a ear 36 is secured upon the end of the drum s aft 10. It has notches 37, e mi in number to that of the chutes, in position to be engaged by the tooth of the gear 34 in a manner to allow the shaft 10 and its drum to be rotated in a predeterminedtime and-speed. Between the notches 37 the gear 36 has concaved rim surfaces 38 positioned to engage the smooth rim surface of the gear 34 and lock the gear 36. At one side of the gear 34, a gear 39 is socured upon a rotatable shaft 40. The gear 39 is of like construction as the gear 36 and its notches are positioned to be engaged b the teeth of the gea. 35 in a manner to a low the shaft 40 to be rotated in a predetermined time and speed. The shaft 40 has a sprocket 41 secured thereon and a chain 42 over the sprocket, through which chain, and the means 43, power ma be transmitted to the valve shaft 19. pon theouter end of the shaft 19 a sprocket 44 is rigidly secured and upon the lower valve shaft 32 another sprocket 45 is rigidly secured. A. chain 46 extends over the sprockets 44 and 45, being guided and aided along its path of travel by the rotatably mounted idler sprockets 47. The sprocket 45 has been illustrated of the same size as the sprocket 44, but preferably in practice, the

' the chute 18, in the valve shell 14, in the chutes 12, in the valve shell 27 and upon the chute 31. I p

It will be understood that the cans 5 0 are to contain food with the air exhausted from the cans and the same hermetically sealed. Fluid of desired temperature is admitted. to the boiler, and cans 50, as described, placed upon the chute 18. Thereupon power is transmitted through the shaft 8 and through the intervening mechanisms, to rotate the drum and the valves 20 and 33. The valve 20 receives the cans into its pockets and discharges them into the opdrum which allows t e cans to remainin a chute, for the cooking of their contents, durin one revolution of the drum, which may e regulated for a cookin one hour or any desired time. t is also intended that the filling valve 20 shall rotate at a speed sufiicient to'fill the chute in position to it, promptly and completely. It is also intended that the valve 33 shall receive the cans at a desired greater speed upon their downward course in order that a chute may be promptly and completely emptied before it advances to its next serial filling position. It is obvious that one chute must be completely emptied as soon as the filling of the next precedin one is finished and it advances. The spec of the valve 20 should be less than that of the valve 33 for this reason, and also in order to pick up suflicient cans to fill each chute within the time limit, in case a pocket of the valve 20 should pass the receiving port without taking a can. It will also be observed that the concaved surfaces of the gears 36 and 39 allow them to be locked in place immediately after the opposing gears have engaged period of the respective notches. The object of this .is to arrange a relation between the gears so that the gear teeth of 35 will engage first and move the valves, through the intervening mechanism, before the tooth of the gear 34 engages a notch in the gear 36. The notches in 36 of course are of like number as the number of chutes and the rotatin proportion is illustrated as one to ten. t will be apparent, with the arrangement shown of the gears, that when the valves are moved to receive and discharge a can respectively, the drum remains in a stationary position to retain the chutes in proper position. When the drum rotates the intake and outlet are closed, the receiving and discharg ing ceases and the valves remain stationary until again actuated by the gear mechanism. The sprocket mechanism provides the means for related movements between the valves. The form and arrangement of the valves provides a means whereby the cans may be introduced into and discharged from the boiler while the fluid therein is under pressure. The manner of packing the valves insures this pressure. The shoulders in the valve pockets support the cans near their ends and prevent injury to them. The chutes 12 are of angled material and suplit till

dti

cooking, which saves valua 1e time.

efficient means to facilitate t e reception of the cans, their passage within the cooking fluid tor the redetermined time, and the discharge at t e termination of the period. The apparatus su plies means for thoroughly cooking the food in the containers, as a stream of them continually passes through it in sequence. When roperly adjusted, it retpliires only the watc ing of the temperature t e feedin of the filling chute and remove from the ischarge chute, of cans in transit. With this service it will erform its iunc tions indefinitely. It is intended that the cans shall be passed through the cooker at all times in practically horizontal position. The mechanism also provides for allowing the cans to be rotated in open chutes in the boiler, thus entering the cooking stage immediately upon being dischar ed from the steam tight valve into the oiler. This insures a uniform cookin temperature for all cans and immediate e inning of 1tlfie e device clearly provides for handling of the cans in a minimum of space and a maximum capacity of cans for the boiler, with the least amount of cooling of the cans or of parts of the machine, which might re uire greater heating power and hence a loss 1n supplying the same. The construction and arrangement of the valves is such that the steam in the boiler is efi'ectuall controlled within it and at the same time t e cans are fed in and dischar ed in a sequence which secures a thoroug i cooking of the food in a fixed time and. to the practical limit of the capacity area of the boiler. l claim-=- l. A device for cooking foods in containers, having in combination, a closable boiler, a valve mechanism upon the u per part of the boiler, comprising therein a s ell, aving an outward receiving portend a port or discharge into the boiler in a desired position, a rotatable valve in the shell, pro vided with a series of semi-circular, transverse pockets in its rim, adapted to receive objects throu h the receiving port and discharge them t rea h the other port into the boiler in a desired place in sequence, and valve packing means consistin of circular shoulders interiorly upon the s ell walls extendin into opposing grooves in the valve ends, a so like shoulders upon the valve ends extending into opposing grooves in the shell walls all ada ted to receive packin between the shell we is and valve ends wlthin the.

spaces adjacent to the shoulders and in said *por s at each end of the chutes t rooves, also circumferential shell segments avmg interior grooves adapted to receive packing, and screws extending through said shell segments, arranged to enter int0 enga ement with such packin and adjust it to a esired position upon t e opposing surface ofthe valve.

a. A device of the character described, having in combination therein, a closable boiler, a valve shell upon the boiler, provided with a receivin port and a port of discharge into the boil er, a rotatable valve in the shell having a series of transverse ockets along its rim, into-which pockets objects may be received from the first mentioned port and discharged therefrom through the other port into the boiler, said valve also being provided with shoulders at each end of the pockets arranged and adapted to support the ends of objects in the pockets and allow the same to remain clear of engagement with other parts of the pocket, means for packing the valve in the shell to prevent the discharge of fluid from the boiler through the valve, mechanism to rotate" the valve for a predetermined time and at a predetermined speed.

3. A device of the character described, having in I combination therein, a closable boiler ro'vided with an upper receiving ort ans a lower discharge port, a rotatable rum within the boiler having circular and plates in close proximity to the end walls of the boiler, and a series of 0 on chutes heliw call arranged between the rum plates with rough the o posing drum plates, arran ed to position t emselves alternately to t e upper and lower boiler ports respectively in a predetermined sequence, mechanism to rotate the drum for a redetermined time and at a predetermine s eed, in a manner to retain objects received into the chutes during such period, and to discharge them therefrom at the termination of the period.

t. A device of the character described, havin in combination therein, a closable boiler aving a receiving and discharge port, a valve upon the boiler havin means to prevent the discharge of fluid mm the boiler through the valve and means in the valve to receive objects and pass them through the valve into the boiler receivingport, a valve upon the boiler having means to prevent the discharge of fluid from the boiler through the valve and means in the valve to receive objects through the boiler discharging port and to discharge the same from the valve, a rotatable drum within the boiler havin end plates in close proximity to the end we ls of the boiler, and a series of open chutes helicall arranged between the drum plates wit ports at each end of the chutes through the op osinw, plates arranged to position themse ves a ternateiy to the boiler receiving and discharge ports 'es ectiveiy in e period-and, at the termination thereof, dispredetermined sequence, mec aniem to rocharged from the'chutee.

tete the said velves end drum for a predetermined time and at e predetermined speed g-ELAH WALKER with relation to each ether, in e manner Witnesses:

whereby objects may. be discharged into the W. L. Semmns,

chutes, retained there for a predetermined M. S. Emmott 

